The Ties That Bind
by altura9
Summary: A love from Simon's past makes it uniquely difficult for him to reconnect with Athena. Somewhat of a sequel to The Path That Vanishes. Eventual Athena/Simon. Oh yes, and big DD spoilers. Cover image is art by tumblr user aominedayki, used with permission.
1. Back to Business

Summary: Even after all they've been through, Athena finds Simon growing more and more distant, and she is determined to find out why. Somewhat of a sequel to The Path That Vanishes. Eventual Athena/Simon. Oh yes, and big DD spoilers.

The image for this fic is art by tumblr user aominedayki, used with permission.

Note: This is my first real attempt at a multi-chaptered fic, so it might be a little rough going sometimes. I'll ask you guys to bear with me! Also, I'd suggest reading The Path That Vanishes first if you're interested in this fic. It's not a direct sequel in the truest sense of the word, but it incorporates some of the ideas introduced in that story – namely, Simon's unrequited love for Metis. With that said, though, enjoy!

**The Ties that Bind**

**Chapter 1: Back to Business**

"And…done!" Athena set a placard emblazoned with the words "Athena Cykes: Attorney at Law" triumphantly on her desk. She clapped her hands together, stepping back to admire her handiwork.

Her work desk was finally set up again. There was the placard with her name and credentials, her papers for court, her calendar, her laptop, assorted pencils and pens, and a few photos featuring her mother, friends from school, and fellow employees. Satisfied, she skipped around to her chair, falling back into it lazily.

Athena was ecstatic to be back in her element. After a harrowing few days, she had returned to the Wright Anything Agency as a defense attorney, much to the delight of Phoenix, Apollo, and Trucy. She had, of course, needed a bit of time to recover. That batch of Eldoon's Noodles they had all gone for after the phantom's conviction had been salty and satisfying, but it hadn't been nearly enough to wipe away the totality of grief that ordeal had triggered.

Still, Mr. Wright and the others had certainly done more than their fair share in dispelling the gloom of her past during that awful trial. She had come out of it a stronger woman, and – she hoped – a better attorney. She was so thankful to all of them for what they had done. It would be impossible to show them just how appreciative she was, though she hoped that returning to the office with gusto would be a good start.

And then there was Prosecutor Blackquill.

_Simon, _Athena thought to herself. _He's Simon now, just like he was before._

He had been the one who had done the most, she realized. He had sacrificed seven years of his life for her. Given that, she had been surprised at how friendly he had been when they had all gone out for noodles, and even afterwards when they had gathered at this very office for an impromptu celebration. They had talked so easily together then; it was almost as if the past seven years hadn't happened.

Yet that couldn't possibly be true – wounds that savage and deep didn't just heal overnight. Hers certainly hadn't, and Simon had gone through so much more pain than she had. To imagine that they had only just been able to save him the day before he was to be executed…the thought of it alone made her breath catch in her throat and her heart hammer. Her initial jubilation at being back began to slip away, and she hurried to turn her mind to more positive things before she was overcome with negative emotions again.

"Athena?" Apollo's voice jolted her out of her own head. Her fellow employee was poking his head into her office from the hallway that led to the agency's entrance. "You've got a visitor - Juniper's here. And…"

Before he could continue, her former classmate had poked her curly head into the room, her eyes lighting up when they found Athena. She was wearing her typical pink sundress, accompanied by a large hat with a sunflower poking out of the top. "Thena! It's so good to see you back!" She walked up to Athena's desk, looking back at Apollo expectantly. "Er…doesn't that man want to come in, too?"

"Yeah, but…" Apollo hesitated. "It's okay. You guys talk first. I'll tell him to wait a few minutes." He nodded to them both before closing the door behind him.

"Hi there, Junie," said Athena, forcing a smile. She _was _legitimately happy to see Juniper, but she had been interrupted during a particularly nasty downturn in her emotional state. She would have to make up for it somehow. "I'm glad to be back. What brings you here?"

"Well, Thena…nothing good, I'm afraid," said Juniper, looking to the side and playing with one of her braids. "To put it simply, it's my dad. He's been accused of robbing from our neighbors, and I was wondering if you could represent him in court."

Athena perked up, immediately energized. "A case? Of course you can count on me! Believe it or not, this will be the first one I've worked on that hasn't been a murder." She punched her right hand into her left in a gesture of excitement. "I'm on it, Junie!"

Juniper flashed a radiant smile. "I knew you'd help! You're the best, Thena. You…you really helped me out over the past year, and I knew you'd be willing to lend me a hand again."

"I could say the same for you. If it hadn't been for your encouragement during my first case, I would never have been able to bring down Means." She shuddered a bit at the memory.

"That's what friends are for," said Juniper warmly. "I can't stress how great it is to see you happy again, Thena. But anyway, I guess we should get to the case…"

Juniper went over the details of her father's case quickly with Athena. It looked pretty open-and-shut at first, but Athena knew better; if Juniper's father was to be believed, he had been framed for the robbery by another neighbor who lived further down the road. Seeing as Juniper's family lived in a small community high up in the mountains, there weren't many potential suspects. Athena supposed this was why the robber needed to frame Juniper's father – the community was so small that everyone who lived there would likely be questioned if no obvious perp could be found. By dropping incriminating evidence in Juniper's yard and near her father's parked car, the true criminal had easily created the "suspect" that he needed.

"Alright, it looks like this case goes to trial in two days," said Athena, checking out the information on her laptop. "I'll be sure to do a few laps around the courthouse that morning to get pumped. The prosecution won't know what hit them!"

"Speaking of that," said Juniper as she was packing up. "There's a prosecutor outside waiting to see you. I'd love to have talked with you more, but I didn't want to make him wait." She chuckled warily. "He also, um…scares me a little. It's Blackquill, right? He prosecuted the Themis case, so you can imagine…"

Athena's heart jumped into her throat. "Wh-what? That's who's waiting out there?" The prospect of facing Simon right now was a bit daunting, especially since she wasn't exactly at her emotional strongest.

Juniper peered through the peephole, nodding. "Yes, he's still sitting out there patiently. I'll tell him to come in when I leave." She didn't seem very happy at that prospect. As she opened the door, though, she looked back to acknowledge Athena with a grin. "Thanks again, Thena. I'll see you in court in a few days."

"…Yeah. Absolutely, Junie. See you later." The door clicked shut behind Juniper, and Athena could hear the soft murmur of her friend's voice and the deep thrum of Simon's as he responded to her. She grew tenser at the sound of approaching footsteps and the turn of the door handle, and before she could really collect herself, Simon Blackquill stepped into the room.


	2. Reminiscence

**Chapter 2: Reminiscence **

It didn't make any sense. Athena hadn't been this nervous the last time she and Simon had talked, though admittedly, that had been in the company of nearly everyone affiliated with Clay's case, and she was probably still high on the ecstasy of just _surviving_ that day. It had been a long time since they had spoken together alone. That had been a completely different world, she realized, the world where her mother was still alive. They had been completely different people, too. She had been a child; he a young man. Robots and Athena's pretty pictures had no doubt been the hot topics of discussion in those days, and she doubted he wanted to reminisce about that now.

_Get it together, Athena,_ she thought as the imposing man strode up to take a seat in front of her desk. _You're both adults now. Time to act like one._

"Hello, Athena," said Simon, and she relaxed just a bit. He had dropped the samurai formality, at least for now.

"H-hi, Simon," stuttered Athena. "What brings you to our agency today?"

_Smooth, Athena,_ she thought with a wince. What was her deal?

"Ah, right. This is an agency, not an official law office." Simon smiled mischievously, his dark eyes catching the light even underneath his fringe. "I keep forgetting."

"Well, there aren't just lawyers here," said Athena. "Trucy is a magician, and Mr. Wright still plays piano in clubs around the city when he has time."

"Yes, I wouldn't argue that it makes sense to call this place an agency. I just find it amusing." He cast a glance around the room, and he seemed to take in the whole office before speaking again. "Do you enjoy being back?"

This was…strange. It was taking him a while to get to the point of his visit, whatever it was. Athena decided to oblige his apparent desire for small talk. "I do, but…it's been a bit hard." Honesty seemed to be the best policy at the moment. "I've been happy, but maybe that's because I've been forcing myself to stay busy. I spent nearly all of yesterday and half of today rearranging things in here."

The prosecutor nodded in approval. "Well, I can certainly understand the part about keeping busy. The mind is like a sword that must be continuously honed if it is to remain sharp." He tapped the side of his forehead with a grin, just like he used to do in court. "And as for the 'rearranging,' as you put it…well, I must compliment you on your aesthetic sense."

Athena could feel a smile tugging at her lips. "Aesthetic sense? Is the Chief Prosecutor rubbing off on you? I never would have pegged you for someone who appreciated interior decorating."

"In truth, no. I never did have an eye for such things, and as much as he's done for me, not even Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth can change that part of my nature. I'm much more concerned with keeping my office practical than visually appealing. Still…I think the décor fits you, Athena."

"Well, that's very…er, I mean, thanks." She shook her head, her earring brushing against her neck. She was at ease with him, but she was still a bit confused by his behavior. He was shifting in his seat, and he gazed to the side only occasionally, as most people did in order to break uncomfortably long eye contact. His eyes were still focused mainly on her, though, as if it hurt him to look away for too long.

"Simon? I love chatting and all, but…if you wanted to just talk, we could have met up for coffee or something. You didn't have to drop by during work hours." Athena stopped herself, realizing that had sounded a bit rude. "Er – not that I mind, of course."

Simon shifted again in his seat, this time leaning most of his weight on the chair's right armrest. "You read me quite well, Athena. I do have business to discuss, but now I'm not so sure it was a good idea to come here with this particular request. Hence my…hesitation."

Athena made a tsking noise, and looked incredulously at her childhood friend. "Come on. You know how much I owe you…and just because we're 'rivals' of sorts in the courtroom doesn't mean we can't be friendly outside of it. So…" She fixed him with a steely but playful stare. "Spill it, buster."

"Alright," Simon sighed, and he seemed to relax under her gaze. "I had the idea of coming here to seek legal help for Aura, but I realized as soon as I arrived how silly that would be. Wright-dono has a personal stake in that case, seeing as his daughter was taken captive, and I'm sure the rest of you want nothing to do with my sister. However, I didn't want to be so rude as to leave as soon as Justice-dono had offered me a seat out in the hall, so I decided to wait to speak to you regardless."

"Ah…" said Athena, taking in what he had said. It was true – she had never been extremely fond of Aura, and she held her in even lower esteem after the whole hostage fiasco. Though her efforts had resulted in the retrial of UR-1 and Simon's emancipation, she found it very hard to like the woman. "Well, I can't deny that Aura and I have clashed before, but we can still refer you to someone else. Mr. Wright is in touch with a lot of good defense attorneys in the area. I'm sure he can help."

"Hmph, I suppose he can at that," said Simon. "Thank you, Athena. I'll see to it that Wright-dono hears my request. Aura has done wrong, but she is my sister…I can't leave her to fend for herself."

"Just like a samurai," said Athena, smiling kindly at him. "I always appreciated that sense of honor in you. I know my mother did, too."

Simon seemed to react to the mention of Metis just then, but Athena could not gauge the nature of his reaction. He swallowed. "You…you are much like your mother. Noble and strong types. And I only learned from the best...I would not be as resilient as I am today without her, nor would I understand what true honor means."

It was then that Athena detected the discomfort in his voice. As he had said those words, his eyes had found the photo of her mother sitting on the edge of her desk. He had been a little uncomfortable before, but now he was undeniably tense; what was going on? Athena imagined Apollo's bracelet would be going off like mad at this point, though she didn't need a tool like that to tell how Simon's demeanor had changed.

Athena had followed his line of sight to her mother's photograph. She knew that he was still grieving for her in his own way, and she wanted to reassure him. "My mom? Oh, you're still – oh, Simon…it's alright. I mean, it…it still hurts, but I feel like she's truly at peace now."

_You don't need to sacrifice yourself for her sake anymore,_ she wanted to add.

Simon's expression was inscrutable. "I h-hope for your sake that that is true. It would be…less of a burden on my heart to know that."

Impossible. Had Athena just heard his voice crack? A wild vision of Simon with tears in his eyes flashed through her mind. What would she do with a crying Simon Blackquill? That seemed as unnatural as a melancholy Trucy or a bashful Klavier Gavin.

"No need to worry, Simon," she blurted out. "Her life and work won't have been in vain, because I'm going to be her legacy." Her eyes lit up as her own words gave her courage. "I'll be just as good of a psychologist as she was, but I'll be operating in the courts. I'm gonna make a change. I'll…I'll make her proud."

To her surprise, her little speech seemed to have the opposite of its intended effect. Simon's eyes widened, and he looked at her differently now. There was admiration in those eyes, but also a hint of sadness and – could it be? Disgust?

She jumped as he rocketed up from his seat into a standing position. He looked as stiff as an old evergreen, though without its vibrant color. She made to get up, too, but he discouraged her with a slight shake of the head.

"Please forgive me for taking up your time, Cykes-dono. I…I should go. I'll be sure to get in contact with Wright about Aura's defense; don't trouble yourself with that." He turned his back to her, and headed quickly to the door."

_Cykes-dono?_

"Simon, wait a minute – "

Almost against his will, it seemed, he looked back at her over his shoulder. Again his expression was nearly unreadable.

"I…I'll see you in court soon. Juniper's case. I'll be ready!" She smiled, but the effort of it hurt the corners of her mouth.

"…Yes. I'm certain you will. Well, have a pleasant evening, Cykes-dono."

He shut the door behind him with a strange finality. Athena settled back into her seat, completely bewildered - the conversation had been so nice at first. She supposed he was still feeling guilty over her mother's death, which was natural. That was probably why he was so stiff and formal with her before he had left.

There seemed to be something else lurking beneath the surface, though, and Athena was perplexed. But she'd have time to get to the bottom of his strange behavior when they faced off in court, and that thought comforted her somewhat.

Refreshed and determined not to let his parting words bother her, she set to work preparing Juniper's defense.


	3. Trepidation

**Chapter 3: Trepidation**

On the morning of Mr. Woods's trial, Athena beat her personal best time around the courtroom. She certainly hadn't been lying when she had told Juniper that this was what she did to get "psyched up" before work, and several of the bailiffs watched her in awe as she swept around the place like a yellow and orange blur. Apollo, her co-counsel that day, kept time for her. He smiled to himself as he watched the girl zip through the usually quiet halls of the courthouse. They had arrived much earlier than most of the other lawyers, as this was the only time Athena could get away with her "training" without being reprimanded by the judge or Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth.

"One more lap to go!" shouted Apollo as Athena ran past for the third time. She smiled widely at him, and broke into a sprint to complete the last lap as quickly as possible. Both attorneys cheered as she crossed the "finish line" – actually just the carpet that led into Courtroom 3 – and Apollo clapped her on the back like a trainer congratulating their top runner after a marathon.

"Phew! How did I do?" gasped Athena, gratefully taking the bottle of water Apollo offered and drinking deeply.

"8 minutes and 27 seconds," Apollo reported, showing her his watch. "New record! Nice going, Athena."

She nodded happily, and began slowly jogging in place to cool down. "Thanks! I'm ready and raring to go now. Oh, and…I'm Athena Cykes and I'm fine!" Her shout reverberated in the hallway outside of Courtroom 3, and she raised her eyebrows at Apollo, waiting for his response.

He knew the bailiffs wouldn't be happy to have their eardrums assaulted like this, but Apollo barked back a quick, "I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!" His voice echoed much more loudly than Athena's had – the effect of several years of Chords of Steel training. He cleared his throat afterward, wincing a bit in embarrassment. "Oops…may have overdone it a bit there."

Athena giggled in delight. She was excited to be back in the courthouse and working with her fellow employees again, but a tiny voice in the back of her mind told her that she was more excited to see Simon at the prosecutor's bench. She couldn't exactly argue with that voice – it would be good to see him in his element again, too.

_No chains this time_, she thought triumphantly.

"Ms. Cykes, Mr. Justice?" said the bailiff, opening the door to Courtroom 3. "The defendant and his daughter are waiting to speak to you. The judge will arrive in ten minutes."

"Ready to go, Apollo?" asked Athena, downing the rest of the water in a single gulp.

Apollo was amazed. The girl somehow had the ability to do all of that running without becoming drenched in sweat. He couldn't imagine how he would have looked after a feat like that, but he bet that he wouldn't have been able to just waltz back to work like Athena. She dashed into the courtroom, and he followed just steps behind.

After conferring with Mr. Woods and Juniper, the two attorneys went to take their proper places behind the defense's bench. No one had, as of yet, done the same on the prosecutor's side of the room. Athena tapped her fingers impatiently on the shiny wooden desk, standing on tiptoe to see if she could catch the dark figure of Blackquill emerging from the prosecutor's lobby. She even looked up to see if she could spot Taka at his usual perch high in the rafters, but to no avail.

"Nervous, Athena?" asked Apollo, patting her lightly on the shoulder. "It's alright; it's been a while since we've done a case without Mr. Wright. But we've got this."

"Heh." Athena chuckled, trying to hide the edginess in her voice. "I know. I guess I _do_ have a case of the pre-trial jitters. I thought that run had completely cleared my head, but - "

"Ahh, Red Monkey and Yellow Monkey," came an oily voice from the other side of the room. "I guess I'll be taking down two rookies with one stone today."

Athena had been looking at Apollo, and had missed Gaspen Payne's surely unimpressive entrance into the courtroom. The attorneys exchanged a surprised glance, and Apollo made a sound like a mix between a sigh and a groan; Payne was one of those infuriating types that never acknowledged their losses. Indeed, he seemed to have already forgotten his defeat at the hands of the Wright Anything Agency only a short while ago.

"Um…Prosecutor Payne?" said Athena tentatively, willing Widget to keep her thoughts to herself this time. "What are you doing here?"

Payne twirled a loop of hair around his finger, which almost seemed like a gesture of contempt. "Prosecutor Blackquill won't be able to make it to the trial today, so I'm taking his place. I trust that will not cause any problems?"

"Well…no, I guess not," said Athena, and a tiny part of her _was_ a bit relieved. Payne was much less of a threat than Blackquill, but…

"Then don't ask stupid questions," snapped Payne, but immediately switched to a tone of politeness as the judge walked in. "Hello, Your Honor. I was just giving some preliminary advice to the two young defense attorneys over there."

"Very good, Prosecutor Payne," said the Judge in his jovial manner. "How nice of you to be so helpful to the younger generation!"

Apollo mouthed "Don't let him get to you" to his partner, and Athena nodded reluctantly, squaring her shoulders as the judge settled behind the bench. He banged his gavel for order, and Prosecutor Payne launched into his long-winded opening statement. The trial had begun in earnest.

_This won't be so bad, _she thought. Maybe Payne was just filling in for Blackquill temporarily, and he would be back on the case tomorrow.

But Athena's intuition had not been very accurate as of late, and she feared what it might mean if she were wrong.


	4. A Phone Call

Note: I am beyond ecstatic that you guys are enjoying the story so far, especially since I'm new to fic-writing and I still have a lot to learn. I've been trying as hard as possible to keep Athena and Blackquill in character throughout this whole mess, and hopefully my efforts have not been in vain. I'm also hoping the pacing is alright.

Anyway, this is going to be the longest chapter yet, but it's long for a reason. Enjoy, and feel free to drop me a review with your thoughts on how things are proceeding!

**Chapter 4: A Phone Call**

Any hope Athena had of Blackquill taking over the Woods case was quashed as soon as she left the courtroom after the first trial day. The schedule for the rest of the trial had been tacked to Courtroom 3's door, and she and Apollo walked up to read it. When they had finished, they scowled at each other in disgust. It looked like they were stuck with Gaspen Payne for the entirety of this case.

"You think he'll finally shut up with this 'rookie humiliating' business if we beat him this time?" asked Athena wryly, certain that the answer would be no.

"I think we have a better chance of the Judge retiring this year," said Apollo, chuckling to himself. "Oh well. At least he's a cinch compared to Blackquill."

"...Yeah," said Athena, trying to sound happy about that. "I'm not as worried as I was before. Junie's dad is as good as innocent if we've only got Prosecutor Payne to worry about."

Athena _was_ glad that the new situation ultimately favored Mr. Woods. Still, a part of her - larger than she would have admitted - hoped that there would be a last minute change in the schedule, and that her childhood friend would suddenly appear at the prosecutor's desk, sharp-eyed and ready to cut down her arguments like a skilled swordsman. Just like before.

But the trial continued over the next few days, and nothing changed. Blackquill did not return to prosecute, and her worries blossomed into vicious fears that threatened to overtake her at times. She beat them back as best she could, hoping against hope that something would happen to quell them before they could overtake her.

Luckily, life at the Wright Anything Agency was nearly as hectic as her own thoughts were, and she managed to keep busy enough to hold the tide of negative emotions at bay for a while. Immediately after the successful resolution of Mr. Woods's case on the third trial day, Athena was suddenly bombarded with defense requests. She ended up taking on three other cases, each with a different prosecutor, and none of them Blackquill. Another robbery, a kidnapped pet, a case of identity theft. Winston Payne, Klavier Gavin, and the fresh-from-Interpol Franziska Von Karma stepped up to prosecute, and with each new face, Athena's fears intensified. She would not normally have complained about having to face a prosecutor like Winston Payne – as nasty as he could be, he was a bit of a pushover like his brother – but Simon's significant absence gnawed at her. Prosecutor Blackquill was apparently busy with other trials, or – and she wanted to hit herself for even considering it – he had deliberately asked _not_ to be assigned to cases that she would be working on.

_That's stupid,_ she thought. _Why would that be?_

She knew she shouldn't have asked herself that question. As soon as she had, those black thoughts began to nudge their way out of the recesses of her mind once more. Every time this happened, she hoped it would be the last. Hadn't she snuffed these thoughts out yet? She was stronger than that, she told herself. Again, she had been wrong.

_He's sick of you, frankly. He can't look at you without being reminded of those long years in prison. You're the reason he was sent there, after all. He was only being polite to you out of respect for your mother's memory. And now that she's gone and he's free, what's the point of keeping up the act anymore?_

These bleak thoughts were further exacerbated by other events that Athena wished she could explain away as coincidence or mere oversight. When all of the attorneys milled into the courthouse at the beginning of the workday, Athena could always make out Simon over everyone else. He was tall and impressive-looking even from a distance, so he was nearly impossible to miss in a crowd. She began to make a point of passing as close as possible whenever she spotted him making his way toward her in the hallway. As she walked by, she glanced up at him, preparing to greet him with a quick grin or salute, but his eyes were always trained forward, never meeting hers. Taka sometimes perched on the prosecutor's shoulder as he walked about, and even he seemed to avoid her gaze, his sharp yellow eyes focused on Blackquill or his surroundings. This little scene repeated itself over and over, to the point where Athena stopped trying to see if she could catch Blackquill's attention on the way to and from her courtroom destinations.

And this didn't happen only in the hallways. Blackquill ignored Athena anywhere they crossed paths, either in the courthouse's break room, the entrance, the lobbies, or even while leaving the building altogether. Athena had begun hanging back to see if she could "ambush" him before he left for home, but there was something almost too intimidating about him now, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to approach him deliberately.

This complete and utter alienation dragged on for another month before Athena decided she had had enough. She was not a naturally patient person to begin with, and the tension had reached such a pitch that she wasn't sure she would be able to endure it much longer. She didn't want to bother Mr. Wright or the other agency employees with her worries, since they already had quite enough on their hands as it was. Of course, she wouldn't dare go right to Blackquill either, but rather to someone who could help her establish a direct line to him. So after meeting with a potential client at the courthouse one afternoon, she bundled up her courage and walked to the nearby Prosecutor's Office, hoping to find Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth free and in a good mood.

The secretary at the front desk cheerily pointed out on a map where Athena could find the chief prosecutor's office, and she nodded her thanks before setting off for the elevators. While she could have easily looked up Blackquill's number in the phone book or on the Prosecutor's Office website, she had another question that only Edgeworth could answer. She gulped as she approached the prosecutor's polished wooden door, and paused for a moment before knocking with as much confidence as she could muster.

The door opened rather more quickly than Athena had expected, and she blinked rapidly in surprise. "Good afternoon, Chief Prosecutor," she said as politely as possible. "I realize it's a bit short notice, but can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Ms. Cykes," said Edgeworth as a manner of greeting. "I do prefer that people make appointments with me first, but it shouldn't be a problem for me to see you now. Come in." He looked at her somewhat curiously as she walked past him to take a seat in front of his desk.

"Thank you, sir," she said gratefully, casting a glance around the immaculate office. Blackquill had been right – of everyone she knew, Edgeworth had perhaps the best eye for aesthetics.

"I do have to wonder why a defense attorney wants to speak to the Chief Prosecutor, though," he added as he in turn settled himself in the chair behind his desk.

Prosecutor Edgeworth didn't feel like someone you could easily fool, so Athena had decided to be as truthful as possible with him. She sighed and began. "Well, Chief Prosecutor…as you probably know already, Simon – I mean, Prosecutor Blackquill and I haven't tried a case together in a while. And I…I think we're a good team, and Mr. Wright has told me how keen you are on defense attorneys and prosecutors seeking the truth together as a _team_, so…"

Edgeworth held up a hand, as if to stop her from embarrassing herself by babbling even further. He did not do it in a rude way, however; it actually felt like he was trying to help her save face. "I understand. Yes, I do try to instill in my colleagues a sense of respect for the truth so that they aren't tempted to resort to underhanded tactics in court. Prosecutors and defense attorneys should work together to find that truth - at least, that is the purpose of the justice system in my mind." He tented his fingers thoughtfully. "I would say that Prosecutor Blackquill shares that same desire, regardless of who he faces."

"Oh, I know that," said Athena, not sure where he was going with that line of thought. "I mean, I don't think he _only_ cooperates with me, just that we're used to cooperating together, and it seems strange that he…that's he's suddenly decided not to take on any of the cases where I'm defending." She had wanted Edgeworth to confirm this, but now she was uncertain whether she actually wanted to hear what he had to say about her theory. But this was how she had decided to prompt the truth out of him, and it was too late to turn back.

Edgeworth's expression was nearly as unreadable as Blackquill's had been the last time they had spoken. "That is true…he had asked to be reassigned from those cases."

Athena let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, clenching her fists involuntarily. She didn't want Edgeworth to sense how upset that news made her, so she tried to collect herself before asking her next question. "Did he...say why he wanted to be reassigned?"

"Ms. Cykes, I don't pretend to know why Prosecutor Blackquill makes the decisions he does," he said with a hint of warmth. "Perhaps you should ask him yourself, if you believe his reassignments to be a personal matter."

The tone of Edgeworth's voice certainly suggested that _he_ thought it was a personal matter. Maybe he thought he was hiding it from her, but she could tell. "I'm not sure, but he's kind of hard to catch during the workday, and I don't really have much time to talk to him afterwards." This part was a bit of a lie, but she had nearly all of the information she needed, and she didn't want Edgeworth to start questioning Blackquill about her visit. Best to just get out of his office as soon as possible before she stirred up suspicion. "Do you think you could give me his contact information so I could call him at his office?"

Edgeworth considered her for a moment, and Athena was acutely aware of what he was thinking. _Can't you just look him up yourself? _He decided not to pursue that train of thought, though, and nodded."I don't see why not." He pulled his desk drawer open, and Athena saw him rifle through a small case inside before selecting a laminated business card and handing it to her across the desk. She took it from him and scanned it quickly. The card contained all of Simon's contact information, including his cell phone number and e-mail address.

"This will be really helpful," said Athena in an earnest tone, tucking the card into her purse. "Thanks a lot, Chief Prosecutor."

He nodded to her again. "Of course. And should you need anything else, you know where to find me."

She nodded too, feeling like she was simply imitating Edgeworth's movements. She felt weak for some reason, and with nothing else to discuss, she stood up to leave. "I guess I'll be going then. That's all I really needed." It was more awkward of a parting than she had wanted, but she could feel Edgeworth's eyes on her and didn't really want to remain under that piercing gaze for much longer. Her hunch had been right: he was not an easy person to lie to.

_Makes sense, since he's so dedicated to finding the truth_, she thought, and for an instant she felt a bit bad for trying to conceal the intensity of her concern from him. Her problem wasn't really his business, though, and she doubted the details of it would interest him anyway.

"Alright. Take care, Ms. Cykes." Edgeworth gave a small bow, smiling as he did so. Athena had seen him do that in court; it usually meant that he had a winning argument that he knew would knock down the defense's assertions like a house of cards. She figured he was probably doing it just to be polite, but it was still slightly unnerving, especially since he had performed that same bow when he was convinced of her guilt at the UR-1 retrial.

She tried not to shudder as she swung her bag over her shoulder and made for the door. He was a man of integrity, she knew, but he was also a man who would not hesitate to strike a foe's weak point when it was exposed. "Goodbye, Chief Prosecutor. And thanks again." He may have muttered something else as she left, but she had zipped out so quickly that it got lost in the chatter from the hallway outside of his office.

Her discussion with the Chief Prosecutor was on her mind all the way home. She grimaced to herself as she thought, wishing she had been better able to conceal her intentions. Edgeworth was probably wondering why she hadn't just visited Blackquill during his office hours; she had been right there, and from his perspective, there had been no reason to avoid doing so. She had had enough time to talk with _him_, after all. The more she walked, the more she convinced herself that her discussion with the Chief Prosecutor had ultimately been a mistake. There was no way he wouldn't say anything to Blackquill after how she had acted. And as much as she tried not to admit it to herself, their meeting had drained her. Edgeworth was not cruel, but he was still intimidating in his own way.

"Ugh," Athena groaned to herself as she reached her apartment. "On the ball as always, Athena." She was currently renting a place adjacent to the Wright Anything Agency, so work was literally next door. Phoenix or Apollo could call her easily if they needed anything. But she had the weekend ahead of her, and she didn't expect any clients to visit at this hour. She had the whole night to herself.

_Lovely. More time to stew over this mess._

Unlocking the door, she threw her bag onto the couch and made her way to her room, where she flopped less-than-gracefully onto the bed. She had taken the business card out of her purse before tossing it aside, fiddling with it as she lay there thinking. Edgeworth was going to say something to Blackquill about their meeting, she was sure of that. His demeanor and tone of voice made it obvious. So...when should she contact Blackquill herself?

She wondered idly if she should call now. Maybe in a few minutes? Maybe in an hour? Maybe tomorrow? No time seemed right.

Would it _ever_ be the right time to call, though? No, she supposed not. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized how desperate she was to communicate with the man in some way, in _any_ way. She wanted to confirm that he didn't hate her, that she was just imagining all of this negative energy he seemed to be radiating. In any case, she would never know anything if she just moped around all night.

_Just do it. _Determined, she pulled her cell out of her pocket and stared at the screen with conviction. Her worries were too overwhelming for her to just sit and do nothing, and it was obvious that Simon wasn't going to be the one to bridge the silence that had sprung up between them. Even if it hurt to talk to him, she had to know what was going on. Taking a deep breath, she held the card in one hand and dialed the number with the other, doing it as quickly as possible so she didn't have time to change her mind. Blackquill almost always stayed at work later than she did, so she was certain he would still be in his office. The phone shook in her hand as the call connected.

The phone rang three times before Blackquill picked up. "Prosecutor Blackquill speaking."

_She had missed that voice. _"Hello, Simon," said Athena, hoping to prompt him out of formalities right off the bat. Despite how nervous she was, her voice was fairly steady.

Simon was silent on the other end as he attempted to figure out who he was talking to. "Oh, Cykes-dono. How can I assist you?"

_Stiff and formal already. Not a good sign._

"I…I wanted to talk?" The statement came out as a question with a bit of a squeak at the end, and Athena gritted her teeth. So much for the steady voice, but at least he hadn't just hung up on her.

"…And what exactly did you want to talk about? I'm discouraged from taking personal calls while at work."

"I…" Athena trailed off. Never in her life had she been at such a loss for words. It frustrated her beyond belief that she had to dig for the right thing to say with someone who had once been so close to her. "I – that is, I was just wondering why you didn't prosecute the Woods case. I thought you said you were going to –"

"The Chief Prosecutor reassigned me without notice. It is a frequent occurrence for prosecutors, and he decided that I should be working on cases where I would be better able to exercise my psychological prowess."

Her temper flared – she did not want to believe what she was hearing. "That's a lie! Prosecutor Edgeworth told me that you _asked_ to be reassigned. And you didn't just drop that case – you've dropped all of the ones _I'v_e been on." Her heart began to beat fast, in tune with the rising tension of the conversation.

It was obvious that he had not expected her to dig so deeply into the issue, but he was ready with an answer. "I apologize, but Prosecutor Edgeworth told me to keep my reassignment requests a secret from others. I have a bit more clout than most of the prosecutors at the office, and he does not want to be accused of favoritism. I am given some freedom to choose and drop cases at my discretion."

Another lie, but he was as curt and precise as ever. It drove her mad, and it scared the wits out of her. It reminded her of the lies upon lies he had told on the stand during the retrial of UR-1. Why couldn't she hear what he was feeling right now? His dialogue sounded wooden, almost like he had rehearsed it before answering her call. In contrast, she was stumbling all over the place, completely unprepared for the performance.

When he spoke again, it was cutting. "…Is that all, then? I have a meeting with a witness."

She had been hoping to back him into a corner with her accusations, but he had sliced those attempts apart effortlessly. Desperate and out of ideas, Athena jumped straight to the question she had been aching to ask from the beginning.

"Why don't you talk to me anymore?" It spilled out before she could get a handle on her voice, and the words sounded strangled as they clawed their way out of her throat. In her heart, it was a plea for help.

The question was met with nothing but silence at first. Athena imagined him scowling, and her insides twisted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, Cykes-dono, but I'm under no obligation to be your friend."

"What?" This time she was truly angry. "Who said anything about being friends? I'm just talking about being civil to each other!"

"I would say you are being the uncivil one here. I treat you as a fellow colleague, and if we're not facing each other in court, there's no use for any idle chitchat."

It hurt that he was now talking to her like one of his witnesses. "And 'treating me as a fellow colleague' somehow translates into…never acknowledging my existence? You're like a damn high schooler." She tried to sound aggressive, but she was flagging now. "Doesn't that just feel…wrong to you, somehow?"

She could hear Simon take a deep breath on the other line, and she followed suit, preparing for the worst. "Fate stole seven years of my life away, Athena. The least you can do is let me decide how I live out the rest."

There had been no point in preparing for something like that, just like there was no point in a frail wooden door preparing itself against the onslaught of an iron battering ram. The words were crueler than any weapon. To Athena, that had been as good as saying: "Those seven wasted years were your fault." She also heard the unsaid implication in his voice: "You were barely able to save me from the noose anyway." To top it all off, he had used her first name, addressing her directly so that the arrow struck true. She had sensed his sincerity, and her ears were never wrong.

So. Her deepest suspicions had been confirmed. He really had been avoiding her, and for precisely the reasons she feared. She shouldn't have been mad at him – she knew she shouldn't have – but the fury welled up in her all the same, fury and an intense grief that threatened to tear out the sutures that held together the wounds of seven years ago.

There was nothing left to say, but she somehow found the energy necessary to spit out the next few words. "Alright. I see. I'll stay out of your life, then. Goodbye, Prosecutor." She ended the call and slammed the phone down in one fluid motion, not bothering to wait and hear if Simon had even drawn breath to reply.

She was seeing red. She could not tell exactly what Widget was doing, but by the show of lights on the bedroom wall, she guessed that it was radiating between anger, shock, and sadness as fast as someone speeding through channels on a television. Athena let the anger seep out of her slowly, hands balled into fists, even though she felt like screaming. If she had, she wouldn't have cared if she disturbed the entire complex. That dark part of her wanted someone else to share the burden of her grief, to suffer with her. The anger, as it left her body, seemed to pervade the entire room, as if she couldn't escape from it even after it had dissipated.

She let it go, or at least she made the attempt. Then, spent and ashamed of her fury, she gave in to the sorrow that had threatened to consume her for weeks now, and it was almost comforting.

Cradling her head in her hands, she began to cry, and she didn't bother to wipe away her tears.


	5. Honor and Love

**Chapter 5: Honor and Love**

Simon stood on the stoop of the Wright Anything Agency, pulling up the collar of his surcoat against the cold of the evening. He shivered, but in truth the cold was almost welcome. The heat of the building had been almost oppressive toward the end of his visit, and he was not entirely sure it had anything to do with an actual rise in temperature. All the same, he had come outside to escape from that heat and the claustrophobia accompanying it.

He had also come out here to escape from Athena.

It was shameful to admit, but it was true. He did not want to be any ruder than he had already been by sticking around after seeing himself out. He also did not want to be seen by Wright or any other agency employees if they dropped by; they would most likely ask what he was doing there. Such a question would not be asked with hostility, he was sure, but it was not one he felt like answering at the moment.

His coat arranged accordingly, Simon left the stoop and began walking in the direction of his apartment. The air was chill but refreshing. He lived on the other side of town, so this would be quite a trek. Normally he would have just taken his car, but seeing as he had walked to work that day, too, that was out of the question. It would be good to get some exercise, though Taka's company at least would have made the walk a bit less lonely.

He would have plenty of time to think, so he did. The dull clicking of his boots beat out a strange accompaniment for the whirring gears of his mind, as topic upon topic buzzed for attention. What had possessed him to visit the agency that day anyway? He had given Athena some semblance of an explanation - something about procuring defense for Aura, but now that just seemed silly - and she had seemed pleased, if a bit shaken, by his sudden appearance. He had wanted to see her, too, in order to ascertain that she was getting along alright.

But then he had felt the overwhelming desire to get out of that place, even after having fallen into a nice – if somewhat ordinary – conversation. So why was he leaving her like this now? What was he afraid of, exactly?

If he were being completely truthful, he had been afraid of the feelings that had washed over him as he listened to Athena talk about her mother only a short while ago in her office. For a moment, Simon had seen Metis in the radiance of her eyes, in the strength of her conviction, in the gestures she used to accentuate her words. She was like her mother in miniature in many ways, and the possible consequences of that realization frightened him. No honorable man would even entertain those sorts of consequences, especially not when considering the daughter of a mentor.

Simon stopped in his tracks, willing his mind to grind to halt as well. He needed something to calm his nerves a bit, and he reached into his coat pocket to draw out a pack of cigarettes. It was a nasty habit he had picked up in jail, but he had grudgingly given in after hearing from the policemen how soothing a smoke could be after a long time on patrol. In truth, he had been trying to kick the habit for a while by gnawing on the end of one Taka's feathers whenever he had a craving, but seeing as Taka was sleeping soundly in the courthouse right now…

He selected a cigarette from the pack, stuck it in his mouth, and pulled out his lighter. With a sharp click, a small flame blazed into life and he held the lighter up to the end of the cigarette, puffing a few times as it caught the spark. Exhaling a cloud of smoke, he began to walk again, though the cigarette did not provide the instant relief he had hoped for. Instead, it seemed to have only occupied his hands. He shoved the lighter roughly back into his pocket with the pack of cigarettes, angry that he had given in to temptation again.

"Is that something a samurai would do?" he asked himself in a mocking tone. "A true samurai wouldn't fall so easily, Simon."

He felt silly as soon as he had said it – a theme for tonight, it seemed. Deep down, he knew he was no samurai. He wasn't honorable in any sense of the word. He had broken his vows even in prison, and honor had been one of the only things keeping him going in there.

But had it been honor? On nights when he was at his weakest - oh, he was ashamed to admit it - he had drifted into dreams of Dr. Cykes and himself, and those were hardly pure. He had even done this a few times while awake, and that pained him even more. The base part of him had enjoyed these interludes immensely, and the tiny segment of brain that wasn't completely swallowed up in "honor" had begged him to indulge more often.

Or maybe he had it backwards. Maybe only a tiny part of him was honorable, and the rest was base and corrupt. That seemed more likely. He went to prison for _honor_? He protected Athena out of _love_ and _reverence_ for Dr. Cykes? Those thoughts seemed hopelessly naive to him now, and he chuckled gruffly around the cigarette.

What was it, then, that he had felt for Metis Cykes? Seven years ago, he thought it had been admiration for a respected mentor, admiration with a dash of love that had flared up in those final few weeks before her death. What did you call that kind of love? He had certainly convinced himself that it was worth pursuing, and even though his sister had been disgusted when he had brought up the subject of a budding romance with his mentor at dinner all those years ago, he hadn't really been able to let the little spark flicker out. But he knew now why Aura had reacted so aggressively to his not-so-innocent inquiry into Dr. Cykes' love life, and he was ashamed of himself for not having realized why earlier.

Aura. God, how embarrassing it must have been to have her feelings for Dr. Cykes exposed for all to see at the phantom's trial. He would have felt worse for his sister had she not gone to the extreme of taking hostages to clear up the mess of UR-1, but she had always been a hot-blooded and impulsive woman. She was just as fierce and passionate when it came to her relationships.

It was clear how much Aura had loved her superior, and Simon's own affection for her felt like a case of teenage puppy love in comparison. Maybe the tragedy of her death and those years in prison had allowed him to nurture the flame of love that otherwise would have been snuffed out had he had the time and leisure to really consider his feelings. It had been love at first, no doubt; Simon knew what love was, having had a brief but nonetheless significant relationship with a classmate in college. But love could be measured on a spectrum, and he wondered what the love for his mentor had grown into. Had it been enough to warrant his reaction to Athena?

_Or was that "love" for Dr. Cykes blown totally out of proportion to make the whole stint in jail seem worth it, somehow? Was honor just not enough to keep you going?_

Simon took another drag on his cigarette, trying to pinpoint the moment his feelings for Dr. Cykes had changed. He searched his memories for a while, and finally recalled one dark evening in the robotics laboratory when Metis had printed out her first draft of the phantom's psych analysis. He had looked gleefully over her shoulder at it, and she had pulled him into an uncharacteristic hug all of a sudden. Her body fit snugly against his, and he remembered her saying, "I never thought I'd work on something of this magnitude. It's been wonderful. Thank you for the opportunity, Simon."

Dr. Cykes had never been one to casually break the touch barrier, and her obvious gratitude moved him. He patted her warily on the back, his heart rate beginning to skyrocket as he registered her pressing against his chest. "Y-you're very welcome. This will be the breakthrough on the phantom case, I just know it." He pulled back from her, and she was looking at him with shining, beautiful eyes.

"And it's all th-thanks to you, Dr. Cykes," stammered Simon, fishing for something else to say. He hoped she would interpret his stutter as excitement at their work being completed for now.

She nodded, smiling happily. This was completely different from how he had felt every other time his mentor had looked at him, and he gulped. Their brief touch and the sincerity in her voice had triggered a sudden reaction that no words could describe. _She _herself hadn't changed, surely. But she had never looked so beautiful or enticing as she did now, and he instantly felt his mind explode with possibilities.

As she returned to her work, Simon found he could not keep his eyes off her. Everything she did, no matter how trivial, had become magical, and he remembered how it had hurt to even say goodbye that night. He had left feeling light and happy as never before, brimming with excitement for his next lesson. Though this time it was not the subject matter he was most excited for - he just wanted to be in the proximity of Dr. Cykes again.

Looking back on such a memory was like trying to see through a veil to another world. He knew those events had happened, but he had a hard time relating to the Simon Blackquill he saw there. Peering through that veil, he could even make out his feelings at the time, but they were fuzzy and somewhat formless, like lights seen through a dense fog.

Lights and color reminded him of Athena. He bit down on the cigarette harder than he had intended, and when it was fully extinguished, he flicked it uneasily into a nearby trashcan.

He returned to the memory as quickly as he could, scoffing to himself. Really? That had been the moment he had fallen for Dr. Cykes? Maybe he truly was one for theatrics, and the samurai charade he had entertained as a young man and embraced as a death row inmate had needed the tragedy of a doomed love too. It was likely he would never grow out of that charade; it stuck to him like his own skin now, and seven years of honor-bound struggle would not help him break the habits it had formed.

These musings had consumed his mind as he walked to his apartment, and he would need to confront all of them at some point. But not tonight.

He climbed up the stairs to his apartment door, and he wasted no time heading inside and out of the elements. The small place was rather musty with seven years of neglect, but Simon had done his best to make it somewhat "homey" again. As he passed through his quaint kitchen, he considered pouring himself a drink, but he had already indulged once tonight. Best not to tempt the devil further. Instead, he walked to his room, thinking that turning in early would be the wisest decision he would make today.

His bedroom, like the rest of his dwelling, was nothing special. Just like his office at work, it was arranged in a practical manner, and that suited him just fine. He shrugged out of his work clothes and selected a comfortable nightshirt before heading over to the bed, slumping down onto the edge of it. For a while he did nothing except play with the knot of his ponytail before deciding that he should probably leave it up to sleep, as that was easier to deal with when he got ready in the morning.

He sighed and rubbed his face with both hands, hoping that Athena had not found his sudden departure too terribly rude. He couldn't explain to her why he had left like that, of course. It would come out as some terribly jumbled and awkward mess about how he had loved her mother once, and how he just didn't feel right being so close to her. How he had made a joke of the concept of honor, and how he was tainted.

He grumbled; even his idle thoughts betrayed him. He was free now, but he was still basing his decisions on what he thought would be best for Athena. Athena this, Athena that…

Any way he sliced it, he was thinking about Athena Cykes entirely too much to just dismiss it as a passing interest in her well-being. That was the simple truth he had been trying to cover up with that insane buzz of thoughts on the way home, and there was no use hiding it any longer.

He took a deep breath. "Blackquill, you're nearly 30," he said aloud, needing to hear the words. "She's 18, a young woman. Nothing good will come of it, you old dotard." He chuckled in spite of himself. Hadn't he called the judge an old dotard at some point? He would be the old man's age before he knew it…not a very comforting thought.

Yes, it was definitely time to go to sleep – it wasn't uncommon for him to laugh at his own jokes, but he hadn't had much company lately, and he felt almost delirious from being alone in his own mind for so long. His first few weeks of freedom had served as a kind of buffer that let him look back on his incarceration more objectively, and he wasn't sure he liked what he saw. The whole situation had been horrible, certainly, but the more he looked, the more he found fault with his behavior and mindset, and the less he could justify his feelings now.

And as bitter as he felt at the moment, he did not want to further sully the memory of his mentor by having inappropriate thoughts about her own daughter.

_I've got to face her in court again, too. How will I handle that? _

Exhausted both mentally and physically, Simon collapsed into bed and rolled over to click off the light, hoping that sleep would be the best remedy for what ailed him now. As he closed his eyes, he wondered idly what he would do about the Woods case when he went in for work the next day, but no easy answer came as he drifted off into welcome blackness.


	6. Aura

**Chapter 6: Aura**

"What's the matter, little brother? You look…conflicted."

"…Hmph. It's just hard to see you here, that's all."

"Well, that doesn't really make sense. I used to look at you all the time from the other side of the glass. Is this that much different?"

Simon grimaced. He had come to the detention center to visit Aura on his day off, and she was already making him feel like a child. Though he supposed this was nothing new – she had teased him often when they were both younger, and the teasing had only matured by degrees as the years went by. Prison seemed to have tamed her tongue a bit, he thought, but sometimes it was hardly noticeable.

These visits had been fairly common over the past two weeks, but Simon was afraid that coming today had been a mistake. He had been under quite a bit of stress lately, what with his formal return to prosecuting and his larger-than-usual workload, and he now faced the entirely personal dilemma of avoiding Athena as often as he could. Seeing as they essentially shared a workplace, this was easier said than done.

And to top it all off, Aura had been chipping away at him to spill his personal worries to her over his last few visits, and Simon did not know how much longer he could hold out.

He fixed Aura with a serious gaze. She was not sporting the tight pigtails he was used to; rather, she had let her hair down, so that it flowed over her shoulders and trailed down her back. He was hoping that she was not going to neglect her appearance in prison like he had, and he felt an intense and sudden urge to impress upon her the gravity of the situation. "You know full well that the circumstances this time are completely different. The charges against you are serious, and I am worried about you."

"And the charges against you _weren't _serious?" Aura shook her head. "No, I know you, Simon, and you're not just worried about me today. Though I am glad you stopped by. I'm fit to go stir crazy with only Hunk of Junk here to keep me company."

"They allow you to keep a robot in prison…?" he asked, legitimately surprised. The police force had always been lax, but this seemed like a major oversight on their part.

His sister slapped something that was just out of his line of sight. He leaned forward in his chair to see that, just below the counter on the other side of the glass, there sat a green robot with metallic hands – or appendages that vaguely resembled hands – clutching its head. It looked familiar to him, and he realized it was one of the robots that Dr. Cykes had kept in her lab.

"Please be gentle, Miss Aura!" it whined.

"When they saw how harmless Hunk of Junk was, they really had no reason to stop him from coming with me," said Aura smugly, patting the robot on the head. "They finished checking him out the other day, so I'm free to keep him. I'm allowed a few creature comforts, after all. You should remember that."

Simon decided to ignore the snub. "Did the police forget that you managed to take people captive with robots just like that one?"

"Please. They aren't _that_ stupid." She blinked as he gave her a look. "Okay, maybe they are sometimes. But I can't make Clonco do anything without his remote. They confiscated that, of course, so he's nothing more than my clumsy metallic pet in here."

"That is a relief at least. I'd rather my sister not be known as the mad scientist of the prison block."

Simon hoped he could get Aura's mind off of more personal topics by talking about the robot and injecting some of his dark humor into the discussion, but that was wishful thinking. Aura was back on the prowl as quickly as a tiger tracking its prey.

"Heh. Very funny. So tell me. What's on _your_ mind?"

Simon bristled in frustration, which was quite the common occurrence when he was with Aura. He loved her, of course, but she could be exasperating when she got like this. He decided to start with a half-truth. "I…I've tried to secure defense for you, but I have been unfortunate in that regard. Wright-dono is doing all he can, but I doubt we will be able to find anyone before your case goes to trial. I'm sorry."

"No worries," said Aura, leaning to the side with Clonco's head as an arm rest. "They told me just this morning that I'll be getting a public defender. You don't need to do any more legwork for me, Simon."

"Do you really find that arrangement…agreeable?" Simon could hardly believe she would just settle for a public defender, especially since she obviously had the ability to pull some strings in the legal world.

"Come on, Sy. I'm guilty. I know you're trying to do the honorable thing and defend me when I'm at my most vulnerable, but you're fighting a losing battle."

He winced at that nickname. It was one she had used when they were younger, and it brought back memories of hidden toys and cruel pranks at his expense. He suddenly felt every bit the eight-year-old he had been when she had used the name most often.

"Regardless of whether or not you deserve the sentence, you are my sister."

"Then accept your sister's request to let it go," said Aura. "Plus, I know you've got more on your mind, so let me pick your brain a little while I'm at it. I don't get to talk to many people in here. It's the least you can do, Simon…it's not like I'm asking for your help anymore."

While he was indeed worried for her, Simon was secretly relieved that Aura had accepted her fate, in a way. Her actions were inexcusable, and she would need to pay for what she had done. But he could still be there for her in a personal capacity as her sibling.

And now she seemed to be pleading with him. She was very rarely open about what she wanted when it involved making herself look vulnerable in any way. She wasn't showing it outwardly yet, but Simon could tell that the few weeks in jail were beginning to get to her. Maybe she did just want someone to talk to for a while; he could understand that. After all, besides Taka, Aura had been the only friendly company he had enjoyed while in prison. He was, he realized, grateful to her for that.

"…Very well. We can talk. But would it be alright if we went…elsewhere?" he asked. "I know the detention center contains an enclosed park where inmates and their relatives can walk together – supervised, of course."

To his surprise, Aura smiled weakly. "I think I can agree to that. Hunk of Junk and I could definitely use some fresh air."

The guard on duty had been listening in on their conversation, and with a nod from Simon, he scurried over to open the door for Aura. Simon could not help but smirk at his reaction; it seemed he was still able to intimidate some of the employees here, even though his innocence must have been widely publicized by now. Simon got up himself, exiting to the park from the visitor's side of the glass.

The detention center's "park" was little more than a micro-habitat of sorts. The entire area was roofless and spanned an area of about eight or nine standard prison cells. There were a few trees and bushes scattered here and there, as well as some flowers that added a splash of color to the otherwise drab atmosphere. A single gravel path looped its way through the manufactured environment, coming to an end at each of the four doors that led back into the detention center. Simon had come here many times for solitary walks during his incarceration, though he had sometimes been accompanied by Taka. It made him sad to think of Aura walking the lone path with only Clonco beside her; he was _company_, but he wasn't a living, breathing creature like his pet hawk.

"I've never been out here before, even when I visited you," mused Aura, glancing around at the scenery. "I guess they could have done worse with this old place."

Simon kept pace beside her as she began to follow the loop around to the right, Clonco chugging along a short way behind them. "Hmm, yes. I see they've planted flowers since I was here last."

"Did you ever meditate out here?" Aura laughed, and Simon looked at her curiously.

"Do I seem like one who would meditate?"

"I bet you do, in your office at least."

He laughed gruffly. "I do collect my thoughts there, if that is what you mean."

"Fine. Don't confirm my suspicions that you're also training to become a Buddhist monk on your days off, then. You're surely stoic enough." She cocked her head to the right, looking at him sideways. "Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be at work today?"

This was what she had truly wanted to "pick his brain" about, he realized. He would need to stay on his toes here, since Aura was the only person he knew who could spot his lies from a mile away.

_Well, besides Athena… _said a tiny voice.

"Prosecutor Gavin has graciously taken my place in court," said Simon quickly. "I've…been quite particular about the cases I take these days, and I asked to be reassigned."

He thought he was being cunning, but as he had anticipated, Aura could read him like a book. "And why was that?"

Simon knew better than to try to lie to his sister when she spoke in that sly tone of voice. "I'd rather not face Athena in court right now. It is that simple."

"So it's about the little princess," said Aura with another infuriating smile. "Interesting. I thought as much."

"She has a name, dear sister."

Both siblings had halted in front of a stone park bench that looked inviting enough. With Clonco at her side, Aura sidled over to the bench, plopping down and patting the spot next to her. She still had that smug smile plastered on her face.

"Oh, did I offend you? Old habits die hard, I guess."

"I am merely suggesting that you treat her with respect," said Simon, reluctantly accepting Aura's invitation to sit down. "The true culprit has been found, and yet you insist on speaking ill of her."

"I just called her 'princess,' which is hardly...what's a word you'd use?" She tapped her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Disparaging?"

"You know what I meant."

"Simon," she said pointedly. "You and I both know you still haven't told me the whole truth about what's bothering you."

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to sound innocent. For some reason, he thought of their dinner seven years ago when he had tried to talk about Metis without sounding suspicious, and he felt a stab of shame.

"Quit trying to misdirect. Why did you drop the prin – I mean – Athena's cases? Did you two fight about something?"

"Nothing like that," said Simon dismissively, though he could feel his face beginning to grow hot. "I see her around the courthouse occasionally, but we do not talk often enough to have a fight."

Her look was prompting him to say more, and he realized he must oblige. Simon felt awful for having hidden so much from her during his time in prison, and for having been so distant and cold when she had been dying for him to speak. He felt he owed her some honesty now, at least.

"I am…ashamed," he said simply, looking to the side. He could feel her gaze on him as he talked, on the dark lines that insomnia and tears had cut beneath his eyes. "I am afraid I am seeing something in Athena that…that I should not. It's…inappropriate, in a word, and the only way I can think to remedy that shame is to avoid her. Call me a coward if you must."

Aura seemed to freeze. "Is it Metis that you see?"

It was the last thing he had expected her to ask, though he knew exactly what she had meant. "W-well…not in the strictest sense…"

"Do you still love her?" Her voice was suddenly flat, and he could practically feel her eyes boring into his skull.

He paused, gathering himself while trying to avoid her gaze. He was not sure he was ready to talk about Metis with Aura, especially since he was not sure of the answer to that question himself. But there was no way to avoid confronting the topic now, and he must say something. After silently stumbling over a few promising responses, he looked at her directly and tried out the first one that had come to mind.

"I did…once."

His sister kicked at a bit of loose gravel nearby. "I see."

"Aura, I never –"

"Quiet, Simon," said Aura with the slightest hint of agitation. "I'm not mad at you. Not really. I got over that stupid anger seven years ago, the day you went to prison."

"All the same, would you at least give me the chance to finish?"

Aura aimed a punch at Clonco, which seemed to be the signal for him to continue talking.

"At the time, I never knew that you loved her, too," he said slowly. "I was young and foolish. I realize now how hurtful and intrusive my questions were, and I must apologize for that."

"There's no need," she said. "I just don't know if I can stand to watch you fall for the princess. Not after Metis. It…hits too close to home."

Simon ignored the fact that she had stopped using Athena's name – he was much more shocked by her suggestion that he was falling for the girl. He opened his mouth to reply, but Aura stopped him with a glance.

"I just know what it's like to love and to lose," said Aura with finality. "I'm not trying to coerce you into anything, and in the end it's up to you, whatever you decide. I can see how you feel about the princess, though, even if you haven't admitted it to yourself yet."

Simon shifted his weight to the right, trying to put a bit of space between him and Aura. He was aching for a cigarette. "I'm not sure I understand."

"You bring her up subtly every time you visit," said Aura, beginning to tick off examples on her fingers. "You stammer when you talk about her. You even blushed a few minutes ago, thinking I wouldn't see. Though I don't know why – you're so pale, it lights up your face like a neon sign. And most importantly...you're avoiding her, but I can tell it's killing you inside."

"Rubbish..."

"You can't bullshit a bullshitter, Simon. I saw your face each time I visited you in prison. You were burning then, and you're burning now."

Simon was struck temporarily dumb by those words. Now they were both on the same page; Aura knew exactly how he felt. He was unable to deny even in his own mind what his sister had said.

_Do I have the strength to say it out loud, I wonder?_

Luckily, she saved him from having to respond to those accusations immediately. "Sometimes…" she said, drawing in a breath. She wasn't able to get the words out, so she tried again. "Sometimes…I think it's best to just let love go before it can hurt you anymore. It's better than trying for something and then losing it forever."

Her voice cracked on the last word, and Simon thought of the photograph of Metis that sat perpetually on Aura's desk in the robotics laboratory. That photograph had not collected one speck of dust since his mentor's death. He supposed that they had both kept her alive in their own ways. But the sad fact remained that neither of them would ever see Metis Cykes again, and Simon was willing to bet that the hole she had left in Aura's heart was larger than the one she had left in his own.

At least he now had his work to occupy him, while Aura faced what looked to be a long stint in jail. He wondered what it had felt like for Metis to just slip through her fingers like that, in both life and death. He thought of Athena drifting away from him, too, and a shudder passed through his body. He couldn't deny the possibility that letting something go might be better than having it yanked away when you least expected it. Maybe severing the tie yourself hurt less than having it fray away and break on its own.

"I am sorry for her death," he said softly. "More sorry than you know."

They sat in silence for a bit, and then Aura spoke again. "Just don't do what I did. Don't hold on for too long if you think you're going to have to let go in the end. You have no idea how much it hurts. And fate...is a bitch." She gave a shuddering sigh, and threw her head up to look at the first few stars that were winking to life in the evening sky. "But it's your life, little brother, and you have so many more possibilities than I did. I know you'll do what you think is best."

Simon did not reply. Was there anything else he _could _say?

Aura seemed satisfied, though, and those words seemed to signal the end of the visit. After another brief pause, both siblings stood up in mutual understanding that all that needed to be said had been said. They did not speak on the way back to Aura's cell in the detention center, though Simon did give her a customary nod as she and Clonco rounded the corner out of sight. The guard looked at them strangely, used to a final sarcastic parting remark from either Simon or Aura, but he was disappointed this time. The dark prosecutor merely turned his back to the guard, leaving more agitated and weary than he had come.

Aura's last words remained on his mind all the way home.


	7. The Other Line

**Chapter 7: The Other Line**

Taka flapped through the open window of Simon Blackquill's office, landing on the perch next to his desk and dropping a memo in front of his owner. Simon took it quickly, turning it over in his hands to see who it was from. The Chief Prosecutor's stamp stared up at him, and he sighed. Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth never seemed to send out memos about parties or any fun office gatherings, so this was likely a meeting request or other dour news.

He began to carefully open the folded memo. He did have modern technology at his disposal, of course – email, instant message, telephone – but there were some in the office who appreciated old-fashioned forms of communication. The Chief Prosecutor was one of them, and he often delivered memos to Simon through Taka. Since Taka was already trained to bring him documents during trials, this was merely a simple extension of his normal duties, and Simon was happy to give Taka a chance to stretch his wings when he wasn't in court.

Opening the paper, Simon realized that the memo was actually a short letter. It read: "Prosecutor Blackquill, I have just finished meeting with Ms. Athena Cykes, and she expressed concern about your working relationship. You know how I feel about our current arrangement as far as case loads go. She asked for your contact information, so I suspect she will be calling your office sometime tonight or tomorrow. It is not my intention to pry, but it would set my mind at ease if you two were to clear up any problems you may have so that we can all work to our full potential." It was signed in Edgeworth's elegant hand.

It was very typical of the Chief Prosecutor, Simon thought. The topic was too personal for him to make a scene over, but he could sense that it was important enough to call to Simon's attention. His final remark about "working to our full potential" was telling. Edgeworth had not been pleased when Simon had requested to be reassigned from Athena's cases, he remembered, though he thought his rationale had been sound.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Edgeworth had said after Simon made his first request. "You are both psychology experts. Surely there is a better chance of arriving at the truth in court if we have two psychologists working on cases together."

"I appreciate your faith in our abilities, Chief Prosecutor," said Simon heavily. "But Ms. Cykes and I have recently been through a terrible ordeal, and I get the sense that she would be better off working with other prosecutors for a time. So I humbly request that you…reassign me to other cases for now."

Edgeworth pushed his glasses up his nose. "Well…I don't particularly like your reasoning, but you have a point. I will oblige, but I expect that you two will be assigned to the same case eventually. Take that time to get your personal issues sorted out, would you?"

Simon knew that Edgeworth was not being cruel with that remark. He was simply looking out for one of his best prosecutors, while at the same time subtly telling him that this arrangement was not a permanent one.

_Whatever is going on between you two would best be dealt with outside of the workplace, and soon._ That was the implicit message in his words.

The problem was, Simon had not talked with Athena outside of the courthouse since his ill-fated visit to the Wright Anything Agency weeks ago. Ever since then, he had been constantly flitting between wanting to communicate with her and wanting to keep his distance, and staying away always seemed like the better option. Today in the break room he had even felt compelled to sit with her, but he decided against it at the last second. Her eyes were downcast as she flipped through a magazine she had brought with her, but they had lit up when Apollo entered the room. It would have been monumentally awkward to make an attempt at reconciliation with Justice there, so Simon had done a quick about-face so that neither attorney noticed that he had been making a beeline for their table.

There seemed to be a barrier between himself and Athena now – one he was fully aware he alone had erected. He was too proud to be the one to break that barrier down, he realized. After more than a month of blatantly avoiding the girl, how could he possibly dare to sit and talk with her now? He thought back on what Aura had said a few days ago at the detention center, about letting things go before they could hurt you.

He thought she had been right about that, but now he wasn't so sure. It was all so confusing, and Edgeworth's letter had sparked new apprehension in him. What could Athena want?

Sighing, he rubbed his eyes, thinking he could almost feel the creases there now. His physical appearance had not changed much since his incarceration, though he was obviously a bit less unkempt than he had been as a prisoner. The bags under his eyes had yet to disappear, though, and he doubted they ever would.

He felt a strange twinge of sadness, remembering how Aura used to tease him about his looks. But it was the opposite of how most older siblings did their teasing – Aura was always going on and on about what a pretty boy he was, and about how the young GYAXA employees constantly swooned over the handsome prosecutor who visited Dr. Cykes. Yes, now that he thought about it, he did remember the girls there being awfully friendly to him when he came by. It was not as if he did not notice or appreciate their attempts at flirting, but at the time he had been smitten with Dr. Cykes. Pretty as they were, they could not hold his attention for long, no matter how much they longed for it.

It was hard to believe he had been handsome once, and as he passed a hand through his fringe, he was glad that there was no mirror in his office. He doubted any of the women he worked with found him attractive now; most of them seemed to fear him, often giving him a wide berth while crossing his path in the courthouse. This thought only made him feel bitter. He had been found not guilty, for God's sake. He wasn't going to go on a killing spree…the nerve of these people.

In this cloud of bitterness and worry, Simon was suddenly struck with an odd desire, one he had not felt in some time. He realized he wanted to get _drunk_. He turned the idea over in his mind for a bit, surprised at how strange it felt there. Was he really such a prude that the thought of getting drunk was so downright weird? He supposed he couldn't remember the last time he had actually been inebriated. It couldn't hurt, right? And, as it so happened, he did have some alcohol in the office.

Aura had given him a bottle of sake a month or two ago as a welcome home gift, and Simon had decided to keep it in his office cabinet instead of at his apartment. He would never drink on the job, of course, but he figured it might be nice for meeting with first-time witnesses after work hours or for the rare office party. He had not, as of yet, had the chance to actually open the bottle. But things being as they were, he was strongly tempted to pop it open and pour some sake for himself right then and there.

The tiny honorable voice in his head told him he was giving in to temptation far too often lately. It was no use - he shoved the voice aside. The workday was over, and no one would be any the wiser if he indulged in some alcohol before heading home.

_To hell with it. I want a bloody drink._

Taka squawked in surprise as Simon stood bolt upright and headed for a part of the room he barely ever visited. The cabinet on the south side of his office was where he kept old case files, and it was also where he stashed odd knickknacks and memoirs from home. It had thus seemed like an ideal place for the sake bottle.

He opened the fine wooden cabinet slowly, careful not to disturb the items on the shelves. The sake bottle and a few small cups sat next to some old photographs and loose pieces of paper. Simon blew on the bottle to remove the small film of dust it had collected. As he did so, he noticed that Aura and Metis were smiling out at him from one of the wrinkled photographs. His hand slipped, and he nearly knocked the sake bottle over. The two women were standing just outside of the Cosmos Space Center, pointing up to the rocket that could be seen poking up over its roof. It must have been a few days before the HAT-1 launch, and Simon suddenly remembered that he had taken that photo. His heart jumped into his throat and he swallowed hard, trying to force it back down.

He desperately needed to get away from these memories, to detach himself emotionally from Metis and the UR-1 incident – that would only lead to him dwelling needlessly on his current predicament. Grabbing the sake bottle and one of the small cups, he spun away from the cabinet and returned to his desk.

It would be a fine thing to drown his memories in sake. He unscrewed the top and tossed it aside, tipping the bottle carefully to fill the sake cup in front of him to the brim. Sake was best taken hot, he knew, but he was far too impatient to prepare it that way. When it was full, Simon lifted the cup and toasted to Taka before downing its contents in one gulp.

The sake hit him like fire, and he blinked a few times to clear the tears from his eyes before pouring himself another cup. And another. And then another.

Aura had chosen wisely. The sake was delicious, and it was easy to knock back a large quantity when it tasted so good. After gulping down his sixth small shot of the stuff, he could feel his vision beginning to blur and his movements beginning to slow. Strangely enough, however, his mind felt as quick and sharp as it always did. In fact, he felt like the drink had instilled in him a sense of courage that he had not felt in a long while. Was this what being drunk had been like? It was hard for him to remember. Still, the feeling was not altogether unpleasant, and he realized he could use it to his advantage.

"So she's going to call," Simon said to himself. "What of it? What will I say?" Taka gave a small _skree_ at his master's words. "Well, I will need to make my intentions perfectly clear, that is for sure. Hopefully she will call tonight."

Simon tapped his fingers on the desk, and when that did not quell his impatience, he took two more quick shots of sake. If she did _not_ call tonight, he would have drunk himself into a stupor in his office for no reason, and that just would not do.

He seemed to wait an eternity, but when the phone finally rang, Simon did not even flinch. The drink seemed to have steeled his nerves and cleared his mind – the opposite of how it worked in many others. He reached out to pick the phone up deftly and gave a perfunctory greeting. A familiar voice stammered out a greeting of its own on the other line. It was Athena, of course, and he began to speak as if he had been rehearsing this conversation for months.

It was astonishing, really. The more he spoke, the more surprised he was at how convincing he sounded. Would Athena be able to hear the truth in his words, though? Probably not. She had never spoken to him when he had been drinking before, so he would most likely be able to hide his deeper feelings from her with little difficulty. The sake had been a good idea. It would make all of this easier – much easier, and then he would be able to put this problem to rest once and for all.

"I'm sorry, Cykes-dono, but I'm under no obligation to be your friend," he said at one point. He was trying to let Athena's words pass through him, as he knew he would be feeling each of them like a white-hot poker had he been in his right mind. He supposed that was due, in part, to the effect of the sake – he wondered how he would have ever managed to do this sober. The drink made him feel like a different person, and lies and excuses flowed as smoothly as wine. So far, she seemed to be buying it.

Finally, after trying to break through his defenses and failing miserably, Athena asked him how he felt about all of this, and she sounded desperate. Behind the veil of inebriation that had made a home in his brain, Simon came up with a string of words that seemed to fit together. He would need to make sure they stung just enough to keep her away, but not enough to crush her spirit.

Still, his response came out crueler – much crueler – than he had intended. "Fate stole seven years of my life away, Athena. The least you can do is let me decide how I live out the rest."

He regretted the words as soon as he had uttered them, but the sudden dead silence on the other end of the line told him that the damage had been done. How could he tell her the truth? How could he tell her that it pained him to look at her, when everything she did and said reminded him of Metis? How could she understand the dishonor he would feel if he sullied the relationship they had had years ago? And there were so many other things besides. It was better this way, surely.

And then she shouted back at him, and the words were harsh, but they were what he deserved to hear. The dial tone greeted him shortly afterward. He listened to the tone for a few long seconds before lowering the phone back into the receiver.

_This is about honor, Simon. Honor._

That absurd thought crossed his mind as he stared down dully at the polished wood of his desk. He would have scoffed at himself if he had had the energy – his treatment of Athena just now had been anything but honorable. But again, he asked himself: What else was he to do? There was no one around to answer that question, not unless he expected the room itself to come to life and respond.

The silence stretched on, broken only by the ruffle of Taka's feathers as he preened himself. Simon pressed his knuckles into his eyes and sighed, not sure what to feel. This was what he had wanted, right? He wanted Athena to live her own life and to be free of needing to owe him anything. She had already done more than enough for him.

But he also wanted her gone so that he would not have to accept that his spark of love for Metis was weak compared to what he felt for Athena – what he _could _feel for Athena. The shame of that was agonizing. Best that he had not acted on it.

So he thought. His eye caught the dusty photograph of Metis and Aura in the cabinet again, and a jolt of shame lanced through his chest. He was emerging from the haze of drink, and his facade of certainty was beginning to crumble as a result. He began to wonder whether he had not been wrong about his handling of the situation from the start. The sake had helped him to speak, this was true, but now a sea of regret was creeping up to lap at the corners of his mind, and along with that sea came a wave of remorse that threatened to topple him over mercilessly.

He had never so wished that he could reverse time than at that moment. Suddenly the stupidity of his actions overwhelmed him, and he thought of a thousand other ways the conversation could have ended. Of all the things he could have said! He had ruminated so much on this particular topic that he had been sure that this decision would be the right one. But the awful feelings crashing over him seemed to signify the opposite. Was it really worth it to sacrifice happiness for complete peace of mind?

_If this is peace of mind, I don't want it_, he thought bitterly. He looked to Taka, wishing the bird could offer some words of comfort or advice. Of course, he could only pierce him with his stare, and Simon could not help but think that even his hawk was disappointed in him.

What was he supposed to do? What _was_ the correct answer to this problem? And would he ever have a chance to set things right now that he had so _royally_ fucked them up?

He let out a soft cry of desperation, burying his face in his hands. Taka was the only witness to the tears that slid out from between his fingers.

* * *

Note: I don't know what the cups you typically drink sake in are called, so bear with me on that one, haha.

Also, sorry it's been a while since the last update. Hopefully there won't be any more month-long gaps between chapters now that I'm on break.

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter and that you're enjoying the whole ride so far! You know what to do with comments, constructive criticism, and the like…hit Review!


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